scholarly journals The Role of Gene Duplication in the Divergence of Enzyme Function: A Comparative Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Álvarez-Lugo ◽  
Arturo Becerra
Keyword(s):  
Gene Duplication ◽  
Representative Sample ◽  
High Ratio ◽  
Enzyme Function ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Biochemical Traits ◽  
Free Living ◽  
New Genes ◽  
Enzyme Families

Gene duplication is a crucial process involved in the appearance of new genes and functions. It is thought to have played a major role in the growth of enzyme families and the expansion of metabolism at the biosphere’s dawn and in recent times. Here, we analyzed paralogous enzyme content within each of the seven enzymatic classes for a representative sample of prokaryotes by a comparative approach. We found a high ratio of paralogs for three enzymatic classes: oxidoreductases, isomerases, and translocases, and within each of them, most of the paralogs belong to only a few subclasses. Our results suggest an intricate scenario for the evolution of prokaryotic enzymes, involving different fates for duplicated enzymes fixed in the genome, where around 20–40% of prokaryotic enzymes have paralogs. Intracellular organisms have a lesser ratio of duplicated enzymes, whereas free-living enzymes show the highest ratios. We also found that phylogenetically close phyla and some unrelated but with the same lifestyle share similar genomic and biochemical traits, which ultimately support the idea that gene duplication is associated with environmental adaptation.

scholarly journals The Power of Yeast in Modelling Human Nuclear Mutations Associated with Mitochondrial Diseases

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 300
Author(s):  
Camilla Ceccatelli Berti ◽  
Giulia di Punzio ◽  
Cristina Dallabona ◽  
Enrico Baruffini ◽  
Paola Goffrini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Mitochondrial Diseases ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Genome Data ◽  
New Genes ◽  
Eukaryotic Organism ◽  
Novel Variants ◽  
Therapeutic Molecules ◽  
Nuclear Mutations

The increasing application of next generation sequencing approaches to the analysis of human exome and whole genome data has enabled the identification of novel variants and new genes involved in mitochondrial diseases. The ability of surviving in the absence of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and mitochondrial genome makes the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae an excellent model system for investigating the role of these new variants in mitochondrial-related conditions and dissecting the molecular mechanisms associated with these diseases. The aim of this review was to highlight the main advantages offered by this model for the study of mitochondrial diseases, from the validation and characterisation of novel mutations to the dissection of the role played by genes in mitochondrial functionality and the discovery of potential therapeutic molecules. The review also provides a summary of the main contributions to the understanding of mitochondrial diseases emerged from the study of this simple eukaryotic organism.

scholarly journals Nematode Hsp90: highly conserved but functionally diverse

Parasitology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 141 (9) ◽  
pp. 1203-1215 ◽  
Author(s):  
VICTORIA GILLAN ◽  
EILEEN DEVANEY
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Heat Shock Protein 90 ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Actual Number ◽  
Host Organism ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Parasitic Species ◽  
Free Living Nematode ◽  
Functionally Diverse

SUMMARYNematodes are amongst the most successful and abundant organisms on the planet with approximately 30 000 species described, although the actual number of species is estimated to be one million or more. Despite sharing a relatively simple and invariant body plan, there is considerable diversity within the phylum. Nematodes have evolved to colonize most ecological niches, and can be free-living or can parasitize plants or animals to the detriment of the host organism. In this review we consider the role of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) in the nematode life cycle. We describe studies on Hsp90 in the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and comparative work on the parasitic species Brugia pahangi, and consider whether a dependence upon Hsp90 can be exploited for the control of parasitic species.

The role of parenting in the prediction of criminal involvement: Findings from a nationally representative sample of youth and a sample of adopted youth.

2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin M. Beaver ◽  
Joseph A. Schwartz ◽  
Eric J. Connolly ◽  
Mohammed Said Al-Ghamdi ◽  
Ahmed Nezar Kobeisy
Keyword(s):  
Representative Sample ◽  
Criminal Involvement ◽  
Nationally Representative

Abstract 207: Unc-51-like Kinase 1 (ULK1) Plays A Crucial Role In Mitophagy In Cardiomyocytes

2014 ◽  
Vol 115 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshiro Saito ◽  
Junichi Sadoshima
Keyword(s):  
Glucose Deprivation ◽  
High Ratio ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Predominant Role ◽  
Mitochondrial Quality Control ◽  
Over Expression ◽  
Pathological Conditions

The mitochondrion is an essential organelle that supplies ATP in cardiomyocytes (CMs). However, damaged mitochondria are harmful via the production of reactive oxygen species and induction of apoptosis in pathological conditions. Therefore, quality of mitochondria should be controlled tightly through various mitochondrial quality control mechanisms. Mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) is considered an integral part of this mechanism, and recent investigations uncovered the role of PINK1 and Parkin in mitophagy. However, these observations were made under artificial conditions, such as over-expression of Parkin or treatment with CCCP, and thus the precise mechanism has not been fully elucidated in more pathophysiologically relevant conditions. Recent evidence suggests that mitophagy can take place independently of ATG7, a molecule essential for the conventional form of autophagy, and that this form of autophagy is ULK1-dependent. We investigated the role of ULK1 and ATG7 in mediating mitophagy using mitochondria-targeted Keima (Mito-Keima) in cultured rat neonatal CMs. Keima has a bimodal excitation spectrum peaking at 440 and 560 nm, corresponding to the neutral and acidic pH, respectively. In CMs transfected with Mito-Keima, the fluorescent dots with a high 560nm/440nm ratio represent the mitochondria incorporated into autolysosomes which indicate mitophagy. Here we report that ULK1 plays a more predominant role in glucose deprivation (GD) -induced mitophagy than ATG7. Control CMs exhibited 8.7±1.0 % of the area of high-ratio dots per cells after GD. Knockdown of ULK1 significantly reduced the area to 2.3±0.9 % in CMs after GD (p<0.01, vs sh-Control). The reduction was significantly greater in CMs with knockdown of ULK1 than that of ATG7 (7.0±1.6 %, p<0.05, sh-ULK1 vs sh-ATG7). In addition, knockdown of Beclin1 and Drp1 also significantly decreased the area of high-ratio dots (about 1.0 % and 0.5 %, respectively). Overexpression of ULK1 was sufficient to induce mitophagy without starvation, whereas that of ATG7 was not. These results suggest that ULK1, Beclin1 and Drp1 play an essential role in mediating GD-induced mitophagy in CMs.

scholarly journals Evaluation of antibiotics as a methodological procedure to inhibit free-living and biofilm bacteria in marine zooplankton culture

2016 ◽  
Vol 88 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 733-746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa O. Agostini ◽  
Alexandre J. Macedo ◽  
Erik Muxagata
Keyword(s):  
Half Life ◽  
Culture Medium ◽  
Metabolic Inhibitors ◽  
Penicillin G ◽  
Streptomycin Sulphate ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Marine Zooplankton ◽  
Scientific Experiments ◽  
Biofilm Bacteria

There is a problem with keeping culture medium completely or partially free from bacteria. The use of prokaryotic metabolic inhibitors, such as antibiotics, is suggested as an alternative solution, although such substances should not harm non-target organisms. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of antibiotic treatments in inhibiting free-living and biofilm bacteria and their half-life in artificial marine environment using the copepod Acartia tonsa as bioindicador of non-harmful antibiotic combinations. Regarding to results, the application of 0.025 g L-1 penicillin G potassium + 0.08 g L-1 streptomycin sulphate + 0.04 g L-1 neomycin sulphate showed great potential for use in marine cultures and scientific experiments without lethal effects to non-target organisms. The effect of this combination starts within the first six hours of exposure and reduces up to 93 % the bacterial density, but the half-life is short, requiring replacement. No adverse changes in water quality were observed within 168 hours of exposure. As a conclusion, we can infer that this treatment was an effective procedure for zooplankton cultures and scientific experiments with the aim of measuring the role of free-living and biofilm in the marine community.

Gender-empathic Constructions, Empathy, and Support for Compromise in Intractable Conflict

2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (8) ◽  
pp. 1727-1752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yossi David ◽  
Nimrod Rosler ◽  
Ifat Maoz
Keyword(s):  
Representative Sample ◽  
Opinion Survey ◽  
Public Opinion Survey ◽  
Intractable Conflict ◽  
Political Compromise ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Gender Traits ◽  
Levels Of Support ◽  
Significant Mediator

The goal of the present study was to investigate how empathy and gender-empathic constructions affect the levels of support for political compromise in an intractable conflict. Gender-empathic constructions relate to perceptions that individuals hold about self or others as having feminine-empathic gender traits. We hypothesized that empathy will be positively associated with support for compromise, but that perceiving one’s own group as feminine empathic will be negatively associated with such attitudes, with empathy being a significant mediator. Data were collected through a public opinion survey conducted with a representative sample of Israeli-Jewish adults ( N = 511). The findings supported our hypotheses, thus indicating that perceiving one’s own group as having feminine-empathic traits and empathy toward opponents made significant contributions to explaining Jewish-Israeli willingness to compromise with Palestinians. The implications of our findings for understanding the role of gender-empathic constructions and of empathy in conflict resolution are discussed.

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